Huntsville gazette., 1887-11-26
STRANGE INDIAN DNNGE.
Visitors to the Arapahoe Reservation Take
Part in the Amusement.

Part in the Amusement.
The night of my arrival at Fort Reno
was bright and clear. The garrison
was strong; the Indians were held well
in check. 1 was not troubled with
fears for personal safety. A noise OF
voices and drums fioated through the
still night air from the tepees several
miles away. Mr.. Curtis, one of the
fort scouts, saddled couple of horses,
and after supper we galloped across
the level prairie in the moonlight to
attend an Arapahoe dance.
On reaching the village we singled
out the tepee whence issued the noise
Of drums and voices. and crawling
through the door, hole in the canvas
about three feet high, found ourselves
among thirty or forty painted bucks
aud squaws. The squaws were hud-
died on the ground in one corner OF
the tepee; in the opposite corner
crouched the painted braves. An old
drum was on the ground in the center
of the tepee; around it squatted six
men Justify beating the drum and at
the same time bawling at the top OF
their powerful lungs. No notice was
taken of our entrance We quietly
placed ourselves in the braves corner.
Presently squaw arose and with a
kind Of reeling motion advanced to-
ward u.s. She glanced a moment at q
row of bucks, then tapped one on the
head; he arose and stood in silence.
The squaw scanned again the faces
before her. She seemed about to tap
me on the shoulder, but hesitated and
finally bestowed her favor upon Mr.
Curtis. He arose to his feet; the
squaw placed herself between her two
partners. her face looking in the OPP
posite direction from which they
looked; then putting her arm around
the two mems necks all three began
springing up and down. bowling in
concert with the howls of the men
beating the drum.
Other squaws came forward, select
ed partners, and joined in the strange
dance. / congratulated myself on
being wall flower, but my self-con-
gratulations were premature, for
when the row of braves was pretty
well thinned out kind-hearted maid
took pity on my loneliness and
tapped me on the head. Her other
partner was a Misunderstanding
Indian, who could doubtless have run
all day without firing. Ger
tainly the springy motion, which
was excessively fatiguing to
me, did not seem to please him. Moka
Wolftrack-that was the name Of my
squaw partner-was unsparing in the
looks Of contempt she bestowed on the
tender paleface from the East.
At the conclusion Of the dance, af-
ter springing up and down until COM
/ pletely exhausted, my partner did a
singular thing-she turned and gave
me kiss square on the mouth. Isub-
! initted with what seemed to me very
! good grace indeed, but Moka never
theless gave me another savage look,
/ abruptly removing her arm from
around my neck and retreated to her
corner. apparently disguised as well
as offended. My ofIense, as subse-
quently learned, lay in not transmit
ting from my mouth to hers, when she
kissed me, some bead or other trinket, as
is customary Mr.. Curtis, who was ac-
quainted with the custom, transferred
to his partner by kiss bright blue
bead, and 50 came out of the dance
with as much eclat as though he were
real Indian instead of a mere Indian
scout. Cosmopolitan.